Boycott Enters El Toro Debate

I submit that the entire El Toro international airport scheme is taxation without representation in its most vile form.

It is therefore necessary that South Orange County secede and form its own county government.

To facilitate this change, I propose a tax boycott. The beauty of this plan is its simplicity and the fact it perfectly illustrates the economic and democratic rip-off about to be perpetrated by airport proponents.

All homeowners in the unincorporated portions of South Orange County that have seen their property values drop out of sight because of the impending airport will stop paying their mortgages and their property tax. Payment of association fees would be optional, with the probable exclusion of developer-owned associations such as the Aliso Viejo Community Assn.

This will give homeowners several months of free rent under existing laws. Plenty of time to sock away enough money to move to a rental property or perhaps relocate entirely out of Orange County. In all probability, however, homeowners could probably “squat” on their property for up to several years. The Orange County marshal is going to be underfunded and really busy.

Go out of your way to frequent South County merchants and businesses. Let the money from the sales tax go toward basic safety services. If those services are not provided, sue the county like crazy, especially if any harm can be directly attributable to that lack of services.

Of course, the one business that won’t be frequented will be the vast housing tracts currently under construction or planned for construction. Who would buy here? That will take money right out of the pockets of the developers in their Newport Beach homes, weakening the strength of the airport coalition.

RICH HOLLAND

Aliso Viejo

* The constant barrage by South County citizens of expected decreases in home values if El Toro becomes an international airport may do more to lower values than the airport itself.

In Newport Beach, ZIP Code 92660 straddles the Back Bay, which is the primary flight route from John Wayne Airport. According to Dataquick Information Systems, the sales volume of homes in ZIP Code 9266O for the four weeks ending Dec. 10 was 39, which was 77.3% greater than a year ago, compared to only 6% in all of Orange County.

In addition, the median sales price of homes sold during this period in ZIP Code 92660 was $468,000, up 4% over the previous year, compared to a minus 2.6% in all of Orange County. Obviously, the airport is not decreasing home values.

I have lived in this ZIP Code area for over 35 years, and my house is now worth many times more than it was when the jets started to fly out of John Wayne Airport. The noise is not as bad as some pretend. In fact, it is less now than it was 10 years ago. The quietest plane [then] is now the noisiest.

Again, I hope the citizens of South County will realize that their present rhetoric of gloom and doom may lower their property values now and forever, not El Toro airport.

ROBERT S. ROSENAST

Newport Beach

* Recent articles on the projected impact of a commercial operation at El Toro airport continue to promulgate several pro-airport myths. Residents not under the flight paths and noise footprints based upon current operating patterns mistakenly think they are safe from noise and pollution. This fallacy is encouraged every time the current maps are printed.

These maps continue to show existing runways and not the changes the Air Line Pilots Assn. has mandated. It is a forgone conclusion that we will be spending an additional $90 million in taxes to realign the present runways. The media should only use maps of these projected runways and noise footprints. This of course changes the communities most impacted dramatically.

As a commercial pilot, it is simple for me to predict that the number of South County residents impacted during landings will be far greater than existing runways or the environmental impact report suggest. The 40-year-old instrument landing systems will not be used. Instead, the modern microwave landing system will be running. While the present instrument landing system allows for straight-in approaches at strict altitudes, the microwave system allows for an infinite number of curving approaches, affecting far more homes but allowing for many more landings per hour.

There is no possible way to accommodate 38 million passengers per year without a microwave landing system. Probably no house in South Orange County will be spared. The sooner the residents in the south realize that the maps and noise projections provided them by the county are disingenuous, the sooner we can unite and stop this madness. Extend the runways at John Wayne like they did at LAX.

RON DAVIES

Laguna Hills

* Some residents of Irvine are complaining that a commercial airport at El Toro will lower property values in Irvine.

Could these be the same people who really wanted to live in Newport Beach, but couldn’t afford home prices there, even for a home under the John Wayne traffic pattern?

STUART WILLIAMS

Newport Beach

* “Boycott.” That word really seems to frighten the business people of Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, the Knott family and the Disney organization. It should, as that is just what we South County residents are planning to do.

We are deeply offended by the lack of consideration for the health and welfare of the children living under the flight paths of an international airport.

So be prepared, you “pro-airport” business organizations, as we are going to hit you where it seems to hurt you the most, in your pocketbooks!

MARGARET JACKSON

Laguna Hills

* It is disappointing to learn certain South County leaders, frustrated and angered over the decision regarding El Toro airport, have suggested boycotting business in Newport Beach. Do they realize many of their own people work and operate businesses here and they and their families will be adversely affected?

Also, I invite them to step into our shoes for a moment. Newport Beach residents have borne the burden of the entire county’s air traffic needs for over 20 years and understandably don’t want to see John Wayne Airport further expanded. With the gift of El Toro, which is 10 times larger than John Wayne Airport, isn’t it reasonable for us to want another community to help too? We haven’t suggested closing John Wayne and will live with the existing limits, but we do ask others to appreciate the situation we face.

BONNIE O’NEIL

Newport Beach

Editor’s Note: A letter Dec. 29 on El Toro airport opposition from Irvine City Councilman Mike Ward incorrectly cited the affiliation of airport supporter Roger Embrey. He is general manager for the Southern California Gas Co.